How do we build stronger social movements? How do we engage people who may not know where to start with activism? These were some of the questions on the minds of Alex Mierke Zatwarnicki and Urooba Jamal when they, along with 14 other undergraduate students, started an alternative student press on campus called The Talon.

Viet Vu – “Bi the way, we exist”

Viet Vu at TEDx Terry Talks 2014 | Photo by Sruthi Sreedhar

When Viet Vu came out to his parents as bi they threatened to disown him. He recalls how both the positive and negative reactions he received from family and friends after he came out prompted him to examine the complexities of coming out as bisexual – and question the kind of environment that facilitates coming out.

Abeer Yusuf – “What is Home: Growing Up Between Cultures”

Abeer Yusuf at TEDx Terry Talks 2014 | Photo by Sruthi Sreedhar

Where is home? This is a simple enough question for most people, but not for Abeer Yusuf.

Joel Hutchinson – “Living on the Boundary: Exploration at the Edge of Physics”

Why do we obey? This was at the heart of Serbulent Turan’s PhD dissertation – “Patterns of Obedience: Dreams, Demons and the Dead” – which looked at historical contingencies in European history that were instrumental in bringing about modern, democratic concepts of citizenry, political obligation and obedience to political authority.

Aliya has a story to share. Actually, she shared exactly 101 stories through her project called “101 Days, 101 Strangers, 101 Stories,” where she documented the stories of 101 individuals in as many days.

Ekateryna Nova – “Universities and the Future of Innovation”

Ekateryna Nova at TEDx Terry Talks 2014 | Photo by Sruthi Sreedhar

Is our education system hurting innovation? Are we suppressing the very qualities of creativity and the drive for innovation that we’re trying to promote? Ekateryna Nova certainly thinks so.

Sam Fenn is the Executive Producer and Host of The Terry Project on CiTR. You can follow Sam on twitter (https://www.twitter.com/Samadeus), check out his instagram (http://www.instagram.com/rsamfenn) and read more of his writing at www.samfenn.com.